"The question is what will Tokyo actually spend, particularly given all the public policy challenges that the Japanese people are very concerned about," Professor Lind says about Tokyo's plan to double its defense spending within five years. Read the full Foreign Policy article here!
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On December 16, Japan took a major step toward becoming a "normal" world power by approving dramatic changes to its decades-old policy of military restraint. Under its new national security strategy, Japan will not only double its military spending, adding some $315 billion to its defense budget over the next five years. It will also develop a new "counterstrike" capability enabling it to conduct retaliatory attacks on enemy territory—a remarkable departure from its previous policy.
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The assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo on July 8 sparked a wave of commentaries on his legacy. Many analysts linked his political rise to a supposed surge in Japanese nationalism, pointing to increasing defense budgets and retrenched denialism regarding abuses committed by Imperial Japan before and during World War II.
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Prof Jennifer Lind weighs in on the legacy of Japan's former Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe and asks if his vision for Japan will ever be achieved.
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Dartmouth College associate professor and expert on Asian foreign policy, Jennifer Lind says the impact of Abe's assassination will be profound. As many in Japan and those who worked with him mourn his death, shock over the incident could create a new norm in Japan. With very few incidents involving gun violence, Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated in the middle of a campaign speech. The incident, which was caught on camera is now prompting reaction from leaders across the globe.
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